HMS Mary Rose (1915) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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 United Kingdom |
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| Name | HMS Mary Rose |
| Builder | Swan Hunter |
| Launched | 8 October 1915 |
| Fate | Sunk, 17 October 1917 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Admiralty M-class destroyer |
| Displacement |
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| Length | 269 ft (82 m) |
| Beam | 27 ft 6 in (8.38 m) |
| Draught |
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| Propulsion | 3 shafts, steam turbines, 25,000 shp (18,642 kW) |
| Speed | 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph) |
| Range | 237–298 tons fuel oil |
| Complement | 80 |
| Armament |
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HMS Mary Rose was a special type of warship called an Admiralty M-class destroyer. It was built in the United Kingdom and launched on October 8, 1915, during World War I. Sadly, the Mary Rose was sunk on October 17, 1917. This happened about 70 miles east of Lerwick, a town in Scotland.
The ship was protecting a group of 12 merchant ships traveling from Norway. These merchant ships were carrying important supplies. The place where the Mary Rose sank is now a protected place under a special law. This means it's a historical site that must be respected.
The Sinking of HMS Mary Rose
On October 16, 1917, the convoy of ships, including the Mary Rose, left Norway. The next morning, the captain of the Mary Rose, Lieutenant-Commander Fox, saw two warships coming closer. He thought they were friendly British ships because of their shape and dark gray color. He even sent out signals to identify them.
However, these ships were actually German cruisers named SMS Brummer and SMS Bremse. They had been sent by a German admiral, Reinhard Scheer, to attack convoys. The German ships got very close before they started firing their guns.
Battle at Sea
The German ships quickly attacked. They first sank the convoy's other escort ship, HMS Strongbow. Soon after, the Mary Rose was hit in its engine room. This made the ship unable to move.
Even though the ship was badly damaged, some of the crew kept fighting. A brave officer named Sub-Lieutenant Marsh kept firing one of the guns that was still working. Two other crew members, French and Bailey, managed to fire the last torpedo, but it missed.
More German shots hit the Mary Rose, destroying parts of the ship. Captain Fox realized the ship could not be saved. He ordered Master Gunner Handcock to sink the ship on purpose to prevent it from being captured.
Survivors and Aftermath
Most of the ship's lifeboats were destroyed during the battle. Only a few sailors survived by holding onto a raft. Captain Fox and the First Lieutenant stayed with the ship as it sank.
Hours later, the survivors found a lifeboat from one of the merchant ships. They used it to reach the coast of Norway. After sinking the escort ships, the German cruisers SMS Brummer and SMS Bremse then sank nine of the merchant ships. Only three merchant ships and two fishing trawlers managed to escape.
Lessons Learned
The sinking of the Mary Rose and the merchant ships was a big disaster. It showed that convoys needed stronger protection against fast enemy ships. Because of this attack, later convoys were given much heavier escorts. This helped make sure that such a terrible event did not happen again.
